Site Mobile Navigation

David Duke Pleads Guilty To Tax Charge And Fraud

David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader and politician who spent the last three years overseas preaching ''white survival,'' pleaded guilty today to bilking his supporters and cheating on his taxes.

Mr. Duke, 52, could be sentenced to up to 15 months in prison and $10,000 in fines under a plea bargain reached with federal prosecutors. He is free on bail until sentencing on March 19.

The plea to felony charges also disqualifies Mr. Duke from running for public office again.

He pleaded guilty to mail fraud and filing a false return shortly after the indictment was filed. The plea came two days after Mr. Duke returned to Louisiana from abroad to negotiate with prosecutors.

Mr. Duke said little in court and would not discuss details of the case outside the courthouse. ''I appreciate the tremendous amount of support I've received from people all over the nation,'' he said.

Mr. Duke was accused of telling supporters that he was in financial straits, then misusing the money they sent him from 1993 to 1999. He was also accused of filing a false 1998 tax return claiming that he made only $18,831 when he really made more than $65,000.

An error has occurred. Please try again later.

You are already subscribed to this email.

Mr. Duke used the money for personal investments and gambling trips to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Las Vegas and the Bahamas, the United States attorney, Jim Letten, said. Mr. Letten would not disclose the amount but said it was ''in the six-figure area.''

The agreement does not require Mr. Duke to refund the money. Mr. Letten said that the contributions were as small as $5 and that there were so many that returning the money would be ''unwieldy.''

Mr. Duke had just started a speaking tour in Russia in January 2000 when federal agents raided his home in Mandeville, La.

We are continually improving the quality of our text archives. Please send feedback, error reports,
and suggestions to archive_feedback@nytimes.com.

A version of this article appears in print on December 19, 2002, on Page A00027 of the National edition with the headline: David Duke Pleads Guilty To Tax Charge And Fraud. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe